JAMAICA | Jamaican Maroons: Resistance, Reconciliation and the Road to Reparations

KINGSTON, Jamaica January 7, 2025 - In a groundbreaking move to address historical wounds, Jamaica's Maroon communities are stepping into the spotlight at a historic symposium that could reshape the narrative of Caribbean resistance and reparations.

The CARICOM Reparations Commission is convening this landmark event on January 9, 2025, at The University of the West Indies' Regional Headquarters in Kingston, bringing together Maroon leaders, historians, and advocates in what promises to be a watershed moment for regional justice.

The Maroons of Jamaica emerged from the convergence of African enslaved peoples with the indigenous Taínos, who had already endured brutal Spanish colonization.

When African captives were brought to the island as chattel slaves, they found common cause with the surviving Taínos who had faced devastating exploitation under Spanish rule.

Together, they forged an alliance of resistance that would create one of the most successful opposition movements against European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere.

This complex heritage carries both light and shadow. While some Jamaicans have criticized the historic treaty that required Maroons to return runaway enslaved people to British plantations, others point to the community's lesser-known role in secretly harboring escapees in their mountain strongholds.

As International Court of Justice Judge Patrick Robinson noted in a 2021 letter to The Gleaner, the Maroons achieved what was then unprecedented: they were the first enslaved group to defeat British forces, accomplishing this feat 65 years before Haiti's revolution against the French and 30 years before India's resistance in the Anglo-Mysore war.

The symposium, a collaborative effort between multiple organizations including the Centre for Reparation Research and AIDO Network International, aims to drill deep into these historical complexities.

It particularly emphasizes Kujichagulia (Self-determination), the second principle of Kwanzaa, reflecting the Maroons' enduring spirit of independence that emerged from their unique fusion of African and Taíno resistance traditions.

The gathering comes at a crucial time when the narrative of colonial resistance is being reexamined globally. Far from being merely an academic exercise, the symposium seeks to address long-standing misconceptions about Maroon communities and their role in Jamaica's complex tapestry of resistance.

Central to this discussion is the British colonial strategy of divide-and-rule, which attempted to fracture the Maroon resistance after an 80-year war that had brought them to the brink of controlling the island.

Yet history tells a more nuanced tale. Despite the infamous treaty, many Maroons maintained their resistance, distrusting British planters' promises. This lesser-known aspect of their story – the continued protection of refugees in Maroon Towns – challenges simplified narratives of collaboration and betrayal.

The symposium brings together an impressive array of voices, from traditional Maroon leaders to academic experts and legal minds. Among the key participants are Professor Sir Hilary Beckles of The UWI & CARICOM Reparations Commission, Paramount Chief Richard Currie of the Accompong Maroons, and Colonel Wallace Sterling of the Moore Town Maroons.

Their collective presence underscores the event's significance in bridging historical scholarship with living tradition.

For the organizers, the symposium represents a pivotal moment in Caribbean advocacy. The Maroon communities stand as living testimonies to the power of cross-cultural resistance and preservation, their story embodying the complex fusion of African and Taíno heritage that has shaped Jamaica's identity.

The event promises to move beyond traditional academic discourse by actively engaging with current challenges facing Maroon communities while strengthening their position within the regional reparations agenda.

The gathering will feature significant contributions from diverse voices, including Dr. Hilary Brown of the CARICOM Secretariat, Gaamaa Gloria Simms of the Maroon Women's Network, and attorney Bert Samuels from the National Council on Reparations.

Their participation ensures a comprehensive exploration of Maroon heritage from legal, gender, and policy perspectives.

This symposium serves as more than a forum for discussion – it stands as a clarion call to action. By bringing together community members, academics, policymakers, and the global Jamaican diaspora, it aims to forge a new path forward in preserving and promoting Maroon cultural heritage.

The event challenges participants and observers alike to move beyond historical debates toward constructive dialogue about the future of Maroon communities and their role in shaping Caribbean identity.

In bringing together such a diverse array of stakeholders, from traditional Maroon leaders to international legal experts, the symposium promises to be a watershed moment in the ongoing struggle for recognition, reparation, and cultural preservation.

Its success could set a new standard for how historical injustices are addressed and how traditional communities can be empowered to shape their own narratives in the modern world.

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